Destiny's Calling
by Vancha'sPrincess
Summary: Destiny has other plans for you... (An OC Fic) *All CDF characters belong to Darren Shan, not me!*
1. Chapter 1

Destiny's Calling (A Cirque Du Freak Fan Fic)

Chapter 1:

The kisses tasted bitter on her lips, as they always had. "This isn't what a family was supposed to be", Zephyr thought sadly as she lay on her back. Her father's hands exploring her body as he kissed her neck. Her body ached from the usual motions. Her father had his fill and rolled off, sitting on the edge of the bed a moment. After he caught his breath, he stood wordlessly and went back to his room.

Zephyr rolled over onto her side, feeling dirty and violated. She never fought against her father anymore, for it was her fault. She had killed her mother in childbirth so this was the punishment for such a crime. Zephyr knew it to be so. Her short blond hair hid her face and the tears that rolled down her face. The ten year old buried her face in her pillow and tried to salvage what sleep she could before her father got drunk enough for a second round. The rooster's crow woke the child early in the morning.

"Dammit girl! Get the hell up!" her father roared from the main room. Their house was a small little shack on the outskirts of town. It had four rooms, two bedrooms, a main gathering room and a kitchen. It was run down with leaks in the roof and holes in the walls from her father's angry, drunken stupors. Zephyr crawled from the bed, slipped her old dress on quickly and hurried out to the kitchen to start cooking breakfast.

"Eva!" her father moaned from the dirty old couch. Zephyr didn't answer. He often called her, her mother's name when he was drunk enough. The little girl scuttled about, scrounging what she could together into what would pass as an omelet. She found scraps of meat, an egg, and some milk. She threw the ingredients into a pan and set about lighting a fire under the stove to heat it up. "Hurry up you little wench!" her father grumbled irritably.

Zephyr hauled the pan over the stove hurridly, waited a minute or two before pulling it off and sloshing it onto a plate. The child accidentally knocked over a bottle and sent it crashing to the floor. The bottle shattered, causing her father to get up. The sound of her father's feet stamping against the floor sent a shot of fear through Zephyr's heart. She scrambled about, trying to clean it all up before she was discovered. But, she was too slow. The grown man came out and was furious, the alcohol clouding his thoughts. "You clumsy little creaton!" he snapped, slapping her across the face. Zephyr shrieked and stumbled back.

"I'm sorry sir!" she exclaimed, eyes watering. She reached a tiny hand up to touch the burning cheek, but she winced as the sensation only made it worse. Fresh tears wet the tears stains from the night before.

"Are you blubbering girl?!" the old man roared, advancing again. Zephyr cowered against the cupboard.

Zephyr shook her head furiously, "No! No!" she stammered, rushing to dry her eyes. The father seemed to buy it and backed off, staggering to stay upright.

"Good, come on. I need more liquor. We are going into town." he slurred, stumbling out of the kitchen, his breakfast untouched. Zephyr hauled herself up from the floor and crept after him, blowing her nose on the collar of her worn dress. It was but a rag with holes for her legs, arms and head. It was all she had. The town was busy that morning. Horses and buggies riddled the dirt roads that ran through the market.

Her father walked drunkenly along, he earned dirty looks as he shambled towards the liquor shoppe. Zephyr mozied along behind him, taking care to stay close so she did not suffer another beating. As they walked along, Zephyr noticed a young boy, a little older than her, standing in front of the liquor store.

He had unnaturally orange hair. Zephyr found him odd looking but she knew the hair possibly came from a factory somewhere. There wasn't one locally. Her father turned on her so suddenly that Zephyr bumped into his leg, falling on her butt. "Wait here." he ordered gruffly, turning and walking into the store. Children were not allowed in there.

The young boy waited until the man had vanished into the store before walking over and offering her a hand. Zephyr hesitated, timid and afraid. "I'm not gonna hurt you. It's justa hand." the boy assured her roughly. Zephyr eyed him warily before hesitantly, sheepishly taking the outstretched hand. The boy hauled her up as if she weighed nothing at all. "Thank you sir." she murmured, avoiding eye contact with the boy. The boy eyed her curiously.

"What's your name?" he asked abruptly, not taking notice of her aversion towards him.

"Zephyr Jameson sir." Zephyr answered quietly. The boy seemed satisfied. He smiled slightly. It was an awkward smile but it charmed the ten year old.

"My name is Larten. Larten Crepsley." Zephyr was about to respond when her father came strutting out of the store.

He shoved in between the children and snarled at Larten, "Beat it boy." he sneered. Larten hesitated but turned reluctantly. Her father turned to Zephyr then and punched her in the arm, hard. Zephyr gasped and watched Larten turn as she fell to one knee. Larten shoved the man just as hard.

"You shouldn't do that!" he barked. The drunk whirled and hoisted Larten by his scruff and threw him back.

"This ain't none of your business!" he snarled. Larten looked ready to fight the man but Zephyr caught his eye and shook her head, frightened. The boy got to his feet, brushed himself off, and turned away without another word. Zephyr cringed as her father snatched her up by the arm and dragged her along behind him as he stormed back the way they had come. Her father grumbled cusses at the strange boy but it was only words, that Zephyr was thankful for.

Though, she couldn't keep her thoughts from straying back to the way that boy was so quick to jump to her defense. "Why did he do that? For someone he barely knew?" she asked herself, not speaking aloud. It took the pair an hour to get back to their shabby house. Her father practically threw Zephyr through the door.

"Did you tell him to attack me?" he hissed, taking a swig from his fresh bottle of whiskey.

Startled, Zephyr tried to crawl away, "No! I barely knew him!"

"You ain't ever gettin outta here girly! You done a bad thing, a sin! And you must always be punished for dat!" the drunkard barked at her, smashing his fist across her face. The unfortunate girl didn't bother trying to hide it, she cried openly. She curled into a ball, hoping it would go away.

"I know sir! I am a horrible monster! I shouldn't be alive, I shoulda died, not Eva." she whimpered, wishing for it to stop.

Her agreement only seemed to make her father angrier, "NEVER SPEAK HER NAME!" he boomed, kicking her in the stomach. The wind went from her and she knew it would bruise. She was used to the bruising and the pain. It was his words that hurt her more. Eva was still her mother, though she couldn't remember anything of her.

A soft ticking noise crept it's way into her head. The kicking stopped and a gurgling noise took over the silence. Zephyr uncurled slightly to find her father writhing on the ground. "Father?" she called cautiously. He was unable to respond. The drunk felt his heart tightening and squeezing uncomfortably. He started coughing up blood and foaming at the mouth.

Revolted, Zephyr backed away, terrified but unable to scream. The ticking noise grew louder and Zephyr recognized it as the ticking of a clock. With a few more death throws, her father grew still. Zephyr stared at his body, vision blurred by tears. Mixed emotions ran through her little body. Zephyr was unusually small for her age. Many blamed it on malnutrition. She weighed but fifty pounds and was only four foot tall if that.

"It is safe now." a voice called from the frontyard. The ten year old crept over and peeked out the window. A stout man with wild white hair and funny looking glasses stood a few feet from the door. He looked like a grandfather in a creepy kind of way. Zephyr remained where she was, unsure of the newcomer. She sensed something off about him, something... evil. He looked odd enough in his ugly yellow suit and green rainboots. She noticed a heart shaped watch in his breast pocket. The source of the ticking, she concluded. Seeing that the child was not keen on coming out, the stranger turned and began to walk away.

Zephyr watched him go, glancing at her father's body. She wasn't a genius, but she knew that somehow, that stranger had killed her father and saved her life. She now owed him for that. Waiting until he was a good distance away, Zephyr made the choice to abandon the hell hole that had been her life and follow the stranger. She kept a safe distance and hid when he looked over his shoulder, she didn't want to appear desperate or rude.

Zephyr glanced back at the house, now abandoned, and felt a pang of sorrow. It was not a great life, granted, but it was the only home she had ever known. Now, she found herself following this stranger who had just saved her. If she followed this man, she had a feeling there was no going back. The stranger didn't head towards the town. Instead, he sauntered off towards the woods on the far side of the farmers' fields. Zephyr would duck behind hay bales and watch when he turned in her direction. She wanted to repay this man for saving her but was skittish around men. The man seemed to keep an easy pace so she could keep up though.

Zephyr wasn't sure how he knew she was there. She wasn't the stealthiest but she had done a decent job hiding. They had ventured deep into the woods as night fell upon them. The moon was full and the stars shined bright in the sky. Zephyr made herself comfortable in a tree near where the strange man had camped for the night. She was far enough away that she wouldn't be detected but close enough to see him. The man was stooped over a fire, relaxed and carefree.

Zephyr climbed up into the tree and curled up on a thick branch, poised and observant. The night dragged on and the man never moved or made a sound. The moon was at it's peak when Zephyr finally heard him move. She had dozed off a bit but woke at a rustling sound coming from where the man sat near the fire.

"I am sure you are hungry. Why don't you come down and share my dinner with me?" he called over his shoulder to her. The girl's blood ran cold. She sat stock still, not sure whether to run or hide. "I don't like the taste of little girl. Too gamie." he added. Zephyr prayed to any god she could think of that he was kidding, but she wasn't quite sure. Carefully, she slid down from the tree and circled around the camp so she approached from the front. Her eyes never leaving the stranger's face. He grinned at her, but there was an evil darkness to the grin.

"Pardon me sir, but who are you?" she asked, trying to sound polite. The stranger frowned some.

"It is rude to phrase it like that in a way. I have many names. The most common, and the one you may call me, is Desmond Tiny. I already know your name, Zephyr Jameson." Zephyr's eyes widened.

The orphan gaped at him, "How do yo-"

"That is no concern of yours. An assistant should not ask so many questions." Tiny snapped irritably.

"Assistant?" the orphan squeaked, wary of irritating him again. His expression softened slightly.

He nodded, "You do wish to repay me for saving your life do you not?" Tiny inquired, looking over at her. Zephyr nodded uneasily. She silently asked herself how he could possibly know that but thought she might be better off not knowing. "Well then, you will start by serving as my assistant until the day you die. I don't usually bother with assistants. Too much of a burden." Tiny rambled, pulling a loaf of bread seemingly out of nowhere.

Zephyr gazed into the fire, trying to process all of what Tiny was saying. "Mr. Tiny, if what you just said is true, then why save my life?" Tiny grumbled something under his breath about not asking stupid questions.

Seeing the remorse in her face, Tiny answered begrudgingly, "Destiny has other plans for you."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

The gunfire rang loud and clear. The sound rather deafening. Zephyr stood at the edge of the battlefield, watching the soldiers slaughter one another. Most people would have been revolted. She was not, she felt rather numb.

The teen had seen many of these battle before. Humans seemed to have a passion for killing one another. She watched from under the protection of a large tree in the forest skirting the battlefield. She sat, watching distantly, waiting for her master to return.

She waited patiently until she saw a stout sihouette emerging from the debri. His wild white hair a bit dirty from wandering around. The last gun rang out behind him as he wobbled over to his assistant. The battlefield went still.

With that, the young blond stood and waited until her master was within earshot. "Humans seem to enjoy killing one another." she noted. She found the constant warfare unsettling, but having spent years with Desmond Tiny had desensitized her to the actual sight of it.

Tiny grinned darkly, "That they do. It is one of my favorite things to watch. They seem to be developing new ways to kill. It is rather amusing actually." he replied. "Come now, we are heading into town. I have had my fill for now." He ordered, leading the way across the battlefield.

It had been a eight years or so since Desmond Tiny saved the young, frightened little girl from her father's abusive care. Zephyr had followed Tiny loyally, arranging shelter and food when he desired her to, and learning his ways. She had learned quickly that Tiny wasn't going to tell her much of his past or what he was capable of.

Zephyr followed him through the wreckage. As they proceeded, she couldn't help but look at the fallen men. A few had fallen, eyes open. The girl bent, closing their eyes carefully and saying a quick prayer. Tiny watched her curiously. "Though you have been my assistant for years, I cannot grasp why you do such things." he noted.

The teen shrugged, "I disagree with the constant fighting and these men should be alive. They should at least have someone who prays that they go to the holy place." she said simply before walking past her master. Tiny watched her a moment before following her.

"It was their destiny to die here." he told her as they made their way towards the nearest city.

"You speak of destiny and fate but you've never told me, how do you know so much about it?" she accused softly. Tiny actually seemed impressed. She didn't not often ask questions anymore. She had asked a lot of, what he considered, stupid ones in the beginning. As time wore on, the girl had become more of an observer, rarely speaking or questioning anymore. It seemed to him that her questions, rare as they were, were more mature.

Tiny smiled slightly, "In due time, you will know the answer. Now is not the time. I promise you though, it will come." was all he said. Zephyr nodded, accepting that as an answer.

The city was small, but busy. The buildings had gotten taller and wider since Zephyr was younger. Tiny pushed through the crowd. Everyone seemed to step out of his way, shooting the pair weary looks as they passed. An small motel in the heart of the city suited Mr. Tiny's fancy.

The motel room was petite and musty in smell but quaint in a way. Zephyr sat on the only bed, knowing it was all her's. Mr. Tiny never seemed to sleep, always travelling. He made allowances for Zephyr's sake and stopped somewhere each night or so to let her rest. He would often leave her to her own devices. Disappearing for days at a time, Tiny always came back. Zephyr always anticipated his return.

She couldn't help but want to stay with Tiny when he went off on his own. But Tiny had told her it was magical being business and she could not yet accompany him. So, she would wait patiently in the town or city for his return. Her master had said that she was free to leave whenever she wanted, but she never did. Zephyr had nowhere to go, Tiny was all she knew now.

When Zephyr had declared that she wanted to remain with Tiny, he had agreed to allow her to do so. In time, she hoped, he would blood her as a magical being and open up more to her. She felt brave one morning and asked him about the possibility but he had rejected it quickly. Disappointed, the subject was dropped.

Desmond waited until Zephyr was situated before departing once more. She listened as the door closed behind him before slipping a book out of her small purse. It was one of her only two belongings. A book and a purse. Over the years, Zephyr had managed to learn how to read and write. She found solace in the pages and endless places a book could transport her.

The blond had never allowed Tiny to know of her new ability, though she gathered he knew anyways. The girl felt her master might discourage it. As the sun rose to it's highest point, Zephyr settled in against the pillow and opened the book, _Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. _The teen had read it several times already, but didn't mind rereading it. Before she realized it, Zephyr had drifted off to sleep, the book still in her hands.

_The night air was warm, the moonlight illuminating the lake. Zephyr stood beside the shimmering water, admiring it's beauty. "There you are." someone called from behind her. His voice was rough but gentle and relaxed. Carefree. His face was a blur, unrecognizeable. _

Zephyr felt a warmness in her heart as she looked at this man she did not recognize. Yet, somehow, she thought she did. He was tall and had reddish tinted skin. A wildman at a quick glance, but Zephyr knew better. He was her one and only, her true love.

The man reached out and wrapped an arm around her, holding her close to him. He was grinning. Zephyr reached up and carressed his cheek. The stubble on his chin tickling her fingers. She smiled happily, feeling perfectly content to stand there in his embrace. She stood on her tiptoes, leaning in for a kiss.

Then, she felt a tightness in her chest. It felt like her heart had stopped beating and she began struggling to breath. A familiar ticking sound drifted through her head as she collapsed on the ground. The ticking grew louder until her heart e-

Zephyr woke in a cold sweat. Her heart was racing and her fists clutched the comforter, so much so that her knuckles were white. The room was still, dark. The moon was high in the sky as she peered out the window. The lights of the city twinkled in the night. Zephyr watched the people with fascination. She often wondered what it would be like to be one of them.

The teen turned and noticed a package on the table. Curious, she sauntered over and picked it up. There was a small note tucked under the ropes that bound the brown paper around whatever they concealed. Zephyr carefully pulled the note out, shifting the heavy package to her other arm.

The note read:

_Thought you might enjoy this. _

-LE

Zephyr read it over and over again. "LE?" she murmurred, "Who is LE?" Puzzling over that, she cautiously unwrapped the package. Inside was a book, it was a bit dusty but decently sized in thickness. "_Gulliver's Travels... by Jonathan Swyft." _Zephyr read softly. "Whoever LE is, thank you."

The door creaked behind her, signalling Tiny's return. Zephyr quickly stashed the book in her purse and turned. Tiny looked irritated for some reason. Gaging his mood, the girl remained silent. She decided to let him alone and only speak if he wanted her to. Tiny stormed over and sat in the cushioned chair in the corner.

He said nothing for several minutes before he looked up at her, still angry. "Do you still desire to be a magical being?"

Zephyr hesitated, not sure how to answer. "Y-Yes sir." was all she could squeak out.

Her master nodded approvingly, his anger seeming to subside now. He thought for a moment. Then, he reached into his jacket and pulled out a vile of a deep red colored liquid. Zephyr assumed it was blood but it was darker than any blood she had every seen. A syringe was next. Tiny filled the syringe from the vile and tucked the vile back into his jacket.

"This is a magical being blood. I will not tell you who's. That is not important. You must inject this into one of your veins. It is an excrutiatingly painful process. However, you must not pull the syringe out until it is emptied. No matter how painful." he warned her, seeming amused by the concept of her pain.

Zephyr frowned some. The idea of pain did not please her. But, she nodded anyways. Tiny could tell she was uncertain. "Once you have been blooded. The blood will consume your current blood. That is painful as well. You may be sick for several days. It will take a couple years before the process is complete and you will cease to age once the blood enters your veins."

The teen thought on all he said. The thought of eternal life pleased her, but she wasn't sure. She didn't like the thought of it making her sick. Deciding that she didn't want to regret not taking action now, Zephyr decided to ask, "Mr. Tiny? I broached the subject of becoming a magical being before, but you rejected it. Why have you changed your mind now?"

Tiny grinned darkly, "Just a bit of insurance. That is all. Do you want to do this or not?"

"Yes sir." she answered quickly.

"Good." Mr. Tiny smirked, approaching her and offering her the syringe. "Remember, you must not pull back. Understand?"

Zephyr took the syringe carefully, nodding her understanding. She sat back down on the bed and swallowed hard. Tiny watched intently as she lowered the syringe to her arm and pressed it in.

At first, the teenager felt nothing as she injected the blood into her vein. Then, all at once, the pain hit. It felt like her body was on fire. Zephyr gasped in pain, broadening the grin on Tiny's face. Trying not to anger her master, the girl fought the urge to pull it out until the last drop of blood was gone. When the job was done, she collapsed onto the bed in pain.

Curling into a ball, Zephyr prayed silently for the pain to go away. Tiny took the syringe from the floor, watching her. He was amused by her pain as with anyone else's. The teen clutched her arms around herself, crying softly from the excrutiating pain. When it became too much to bear, she crawled over to the window, threw it open and wretched.

She sat, huddle under the window. Her head was throbbing so bad she felt dizzy all over again. Mr. Tiny said nothing as he observed his assistant's reaction to being blooded. With as quick as the illness came on, he assumed it would take much less time for the blood to take full control. Then, she would be bound to him.

The pair remained in the motel for a week, until Zephyr had fully recovered. She noticed that her senses were one hundred times greater. She could hear conversations from a mile away if she wanted and could see far more clearly, even at night. Tiny advised that she may get short visions of the future as well. She was also stronger and much faster than she had been.

When they departed from the town, Zephyr ran ahead of Tiny, running circles and looping back. Mr. Tiny shook his head as he watched her running around. "Where are we off to now Mr. Tiny?" she asked, smiling brightly. She seemed a bit more energetic and cheerful than before, although she still shrank away from strangers.

"I have business to attend to that I cannot take you on. However, I have decided to leave you with my daughter." he explained. Zephyr stopped running, stopping in front of him.

"You have a daughter?" she gasped, astonished by the news.

Mr. Tiny frowned, "No stupid questions." he snapped, "Yes, I have a daughter. It is a long story that I will not indulge you with. She will take up your magical training. I will check in from time to time but other than that, you will be her apprentice."

Zephyr's mood saddened. She didn't want to leave Tiny. She didn't know this daughter of his. Why wouldn't Tiny train her? He blooded her, so she gathered that meant he was training her. Apparently not.

"I- Why can't you train me?" she demanded nervously. She had never challenged her master before. Mr. Tiny didn't take it lightly.

"Are you challenging my orders?" he growled. Zephyr cringed but nodded, standing her ground. Tiny reached into his chest pocket and pulled out his heart watch, "Apologize."

"No. Tell me." she answered roughly. Tiny gave the watch a squeeze, bringing Zephyr to her knees. She winced as she felt her heart tightening, making it difficult to breath. She gripped her chest.

"I'm s-sorry." she whimpered. Tiny released his grip.

He sneered, "Very good. Now, come on. We have a long journey to Evanna's."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

Mr. Tiny didn't tell Zephyr much about his mysterious daughter, the Lady Evanna. He only advised her not to use the word "witch" around the Lady. The voyage took several days. Zephyr's body screamed out for a rest, but she didn't dare ask Tiny for one. She couldn't shake the look on his face when he used that heart watch on her for the very first time.

"It looked like he wanted nothing more than to see me in pain..." she thought to herself as she strode alongside Tiny. The evil meddler said very little over their trip, often lost in thought or something else the teenager couldn't place.

Evanna's cave was surrounded by a dense forest. It had taken a week to get there and Tiny's mood seemed to relax some as they approached. The cave was embedded in a large boulder on the side of a hill. As they approached, Zephyr noticed hundreds of frogs littering the yard.

"Be careful, they are poisonous." Tiny grumbled a warning. Before they were within reach of the door, it flew open and someone emerged from the cave. It was the ugliest woman Zephyr had ever seen. She was wrapped in ropes where her clothes should have been. She had a thin mustache and woolly black hair in tangles on her head. Her arms and legs were thickly layered in the same colored hair. Her mismatched eyes were what caught Zephyr off guard the most. They were two different colors, but one seemed lazy and looked in different directions than the other.

"I was expecting you days ago." Lady Evanna said sharply to Tiny. The meddler smiled slightly, an evil smile.

"The blooding had more of an effect than I thought it would." he admitted as if he was burdened by it.

Evanna looked surprised, then angry, "You blooded her? Already?"

Tiny stiffened, not amused by the tone in his daughter's voice, "It's an insurance policy of sorts. It will take years for the blood to affect her. Besides, you should not question my choices Evanna."

Evanna looked at her father uneasily before turning to the subject of their conversation. She smiled as warmly as possible, "Come in child, you must be tired." the Lady of the Wilds stepped aside so Zephyr could enter the cave. The girl hesitated, worried about the conversation she had just heard. Deciding it would be better not to anger her new mentor, Zephyr scurried inside. The door shut behind her, leaving her alone in the cave. She could hear hushed voices outside.

The cave was elaborately decorated. Everything was plush and cozy. The sofa was large enough to seat several people and looked as comfortable as a cloud. Luxury carpets covered the floor. Zephyr looked around and noticed a bowl of fruit on the table in front of the sofa. Her stomach gave a low gurgle of hunger, but she didn't want to tough anything without permission.

"You may eat some if you are hungry." the voice behind her made Zephyr jump. Evanna stood, chortling at her new charge. "We will have to work on your senses. For now, I understand that you have not rested for a few days, follow me." she ordered. Zephyr felt her heart pounding against her ribcage from the fright, but managed to follow.

Evanna led her down a narrow hallway off the main room. It had several doors that branched off into different rooms. Most were shut except the one on the far left. The Lady led her down to the open door. The room was a small cavern with a large, plush bed and tons of pillows. A thick blanket was draped over the matress, also covered in a silk looking sheet.

"During your training, this will serve as your room." Evanna informed the blond. Zephyr couldn't believe it. She got her own room? She hadn't really had anything that was her's since... Zephyr pushed the memories away bluntly. She had managed to move on, though she still bore some scars.

"Thank you my lady." was all she could muster. The teenager was still upset about Tiny leaving her here to train. Evanna seemed to pick up on this.

The older woman layed a gently hand on the girl's shoulder, "You will be better off here. Safer and happier. I will not burden you with anything tonight." she told her kindly. Evanna turned to leave and paused, "I am here if you wish to talk. For now, get some sleep."

Zephyr watched her new guardian waddle back down the hall and into the main room. The sun was setting outside as Zephyr crawled over to her new bed. She pulled the blankets over herself and nestled in. Her body relaxed some from the plushy comfort of the bed. The teen scanned the room curiously. A large wooden chest was tucked away in a corner, for her clothes she was assuming. Before she knew it, Zephyr was sound asleep.

When Zephyr woke, the cave was quiet. She had no indication of what time it was or for how long she had been teenager looked around the room disinterestedly. Then, her heart sank. "It hadn't been a dream then, Tiny did leave me." she muttered miserably.

"He did. But as I said a few nights ago, you are better off, though he will be back time after time." Evanna answered softly, saying the last sentence to no one in particular. She stood, looming in the doorway to the small cavern. She was still as ugly as Zephyr remembered, but she got a sense that she should not broach the subject. Realizing she may have said too much, Evanna added, "Did you sleep well?"

The blonde nodded hesitantly. "Did you say a few nights ago? How long have I been asleep?"

Evanna thought a moment, "About two days and nights. There is fresh fruit out there if you get hungry. I have to go out for the day, but I will be back later."

"Thank you my lady. Do you want me to go hunt for you or anything while you are away?" Zephyr asked.

The Lady of the Wilds shook her head, "I am a vegetarian. If you desire meat, you will have to go hunt yourself. And don't bring it anywhere near my cave. Now, I must be off." With that, she disappeared from the doorway. Sitting there a moment, Zephyr realized something and darted into the hall.

"Wait my lady!" she called, hoping she wasn't too late. Evanna looked over her shoulder at her new charge. Zephyr caught up to her, panting slightly from sprinting down the hall. "I-I uh, wanted to say thank you."

"For what?" Evanna inquired, minorly surprised.

Zephyr smiled slightly, "For everything I guess. Taking me in and training me."

Evanna looked the girl over several times before nodding, "You're welcome." With that, the magical being was out the front entrance to the cave, leaving Zephyr alone to mull things over.

Zephyr looked around the cave, wondering what she should do while her new master was out. Grabbing an orange from the bowl on the table, she went out the same door Evanna had left from and entered the front yard. There were a couple hundred frogs scattered throughout the yard. They croaked as Zephyr sat on a rock and began peeling the orange. One bold frog hopped over to her, cocking it's head to the side curiously.

Peeling off a piece of the orange, the teenager offered the frog the piece. She had never been around amphibians much and only knew they ate insects. Why not try it at least? she thought. The frog eyed the orange slice hungrily before lashing out at it with it's tongue and sucking it into it's mouth. The movement was so fast that Zephyr just barely saw it happen.

The frog ate it gratefully and watched her, as if asking for more. A few more frogs hopped over, curious about the interaction. Zephyr popped another piece into her mouth before breaking down another slice to divide amongst the frogs.

The frogs devoured the food gratefully before retreating back once the orange was done. Zephyr ate the last piece as she made her way, carefully, back inside. The hungry little guys were still poisonous. The cave was well lit for having very few, if any, windows or openings. She noted some dusty old books on a shelf and thought maybe Evanna wouldn't mind if she tidied up a bit. The teen wandered around the cave and the rooms with the open doors in search of any cleaning supplies.

After an hour long search, Zephyr struck a stroke of luck as she stumbled across an old dust brush wedged between some books on the dusty book shelf. She coughed as she pulled it out, it was just as dusty as the books! The young being mozied around the cave, dusting off everything and cleaning up anything that looked like it needed it. Three hours later, she was finished with that task.

Replacing the dust brush carefully, she made her way back to her room. Zephyr didn't want to push her limits with Evanna and continue messing with her things. So, to pass the rest of the time, she pulled out the book, Gulliver's Travels. It was an odd story, Zephyr thought as she began reading.

As the sun set, Evanna returned from whatever work she had been doing. Walking into her cave, she noticed everything was neat, clean and orderly. "She's one of those then," the Lady sighed, plucking the dust brush from it's hiding place and making it disappear into thin air. Not seeing her new apprentice anywhere, Evanna peered into the child's room.

Zephyr glanced over and saw Evanna watching her. Tossing the book aside quickly, she got to her feet. "I'm sorry my Lady. I did not hear your return." she apologized hurridly. Evanna looked at her, amused.

"What are you reading?" she asked, ignoring the apology. Zephyr blinked, taking a minute to remember the book she had tossed aside. Gingerly, Evanna walked over and picked it up, examining the cover. "Hmm... do you like it?"

The teenager fidgetted uneasily. "It's an interesting read. I mean, some of the islands make very little sense to me as to the point they have in the plot, but otherwise it is enjoyable." she answered nervously. "I appreciate you lending it to me."

Evanna turned, her mismatched eyes fixing on the child, "It took you less time than I thought it would. Well done. I always hated this book, so it is your's. I don't want it back." she explained, laying the book back down on the bed. "Come now, we need to talk about your training."

Zephyr followed her master out into the plush living room area silently. Evanna gestured for her to sit on the sofa across from her chair. Evanna sat down, waiting patiently for Zephyr to get comfortable. Once she was situated, Evanna's expression grew serious, "Now, from what I understand, you were blooded quickly without much insight or knowledge of what that meant. I am sure Desmond Tiny explained a few of the... abilities a magical being may possess. I am giving you this oppurtunity to ask me any questions before we begin training. After we start, I want no stupid questions."

The teenager was familiar with that standpoint. Tiny had enforced that rule as well. She hesitated, trying to find the right wording. "Mr. Tiny said I would no longer age after the blood had taken over, will that make me immortal?" she asked first, unsure if she really wanted to know the answer.

Evanna maintained a steady gaze, "Yes, once the transition is complete, you will be immortal. However, not invincible. You can be killed just like a human. So, I will train you in ways to avoid being killed."

Zephyr nodded her understanding, "Y-you mentioned earlier that magical beings have... abilities. What do you mean? Will I have the same ones as you and Tiny?"

The Lady of the Wilds said nothing for a moment, unsure of how to answer such a question. "The honest answer is I do not know. The three current magical beings in exsistence have abilities in common; foresight, immortality, time travelling. However, there are variations. I do not possess a heart watch that can kill people. Yet, I can change my appearance to anything I would like. You have the gift of foresight and immortality and eventually time travel.

Currently, from what I have witnessed today, you also have a special gift with animals and a charm that draws people to you and makes them protective of you. The rest of your potential abilities will reveal themselves in time."

The girl stared at her master uneasily. "What do you mean about my charm?"

The magical being laughed softly, "It is more like an appearance of vulnerability that is deceptive. You are not vulnerable, in fact you are rather strong physically and mentally. However, you can make people protect you without realizing it. It could in fact save your life eventually, because no one will want to hurt you. If you remember, when you were younger, a strange young boy with orange hair protected you out of the blue, taking on your father." she explained, raising her bushy eyebrows.

Zephyr percalated on what Evanna had told her. She did remember that boy, Larten Crepsley had been his name. She would never be able to forget him. Evanna watched the girl expectantly, waiting for another question. None came.

"Is there anything else on your mind?" she asked curiously, knowing the child was concealing something.

The teen shook her head, "Only one thing, when do we start?"


End file.
